Social Media and Communications Coordinator at Vancouver Island University

Social Media and Communications Coordinator

Employment Group CUPE Position Number 01098 Division President Department Strategic Communications Campus Nanaimo campus *Successful candidates must be able to attend in person on campus as required Location Nanaimo, British Columbia Country Canada Appointment Type regular full-time FTE 1.00 Workload 35 hours per week; Monday - Friday Pay Level CUPE 9: $32.84 per hour Appointment Start Date 08-Dec-2025 Applicant Documents CV/Resume, Cover Letter, Qualifications , Name and contact information of recent supervisors willing to provide a reference Posted Date 06-Nov-2025 Closing Date 19-Nov-2025 Job Reference 2828

Duties:

We are seeking a creative and detail-oriented Social Media and Communications Coordinator to join VIU's Strategic Communications and Marketing team. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about digital storytelling, adept at building engaging content across multiple platforms and skilled in supporting institutional communications initiatives.

The coordinator will play a key role in enhancing VIU's online presence, elevating the university's reputation and brand, engaging various audiences and supporting communications across the university. This position focuses on leveraging social media as both a recruitment tool and a platform for institutional storytelling, showcasing the student experience, highlighting academic excellence and sharing the university's impact locally and globally. The role includes developing social media strategies, crafting and scheduling compelling content, monitoring digital engagement and providing communications support for institutional priorities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute social media strategies that strengthen VIU's reputation, align with recruitment goals, and engage key audiences.
• Create compelling, brand-aligned multimedia content for VIU's official platforms.
• Manage daily posting, engagement, and monitoring across platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Facebook, YouTube and emerging channels).
• Monitor and respond to comments, messages and conversations to maintain a timely, professional, and inclusive digital presence.
• Track performance metrics, analyze competitor data, and deliver insights to inform content and campaign decisions.
• Support institutional communications initiatives, including drafting messages, web copy, newsletter content and digital updates.
• Collaborate with faculties, departments, and partners to share stories that highlight VIU's programs, student success, alumni impact, faculty expertise and community contributions, and design campaigns that highlight campus life, scholarships and pathways for prospective students.
• Train other departments and faculties on social media best practices, and provide expert guidance to other areas as issues emerge.
• Support issues management and crisis communications through digital channels.
• Ensure all content meets brand, accessibility and inclusivity standards.
• Stay current on social media trends, tools and best practices to maximize reach and engagement.
• Be available to support institutional events and other communications duties, as required.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism or related field. Minimum 2 years' experience in social media management and digital communications. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Proven skills in content creation (writing, photography and videography).
• Strong knowledge of social media platforms, trends, analytics and performance metrics.
• Excellent writing, editing and storytelling abilities, with the flexibility to adapt tone for diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with scheduling, analytics and content creation tools/software.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, working independently and collaboratively.
• Familiarity with accessibility, inclusivity and ethical best practices in digital content.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in post-secondary or public sector environments considered an asset.

VIU is pleased to offer eligible employees a comprehensive benefit plan; ample paid holiday time; professional development opportunities and a desirable pension plan. As part of the VIU campus community, our employees work with supportive colleagues within an encouraging environment and are provided with the tools and training that promote learning and development. The perks of VIU employment are multiple, and include well-being initiatives and services, strategic discounts, and flexible work opportunities.

Note:

• Short-listed candidates must provide original transcripts, or applicable original certifications at time of interview.
• All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
• Vancouver Island University (VIU) is collectively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. In our journey towards greater diversity, we invite applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations who bring value to the VIU community through their lived experiences. We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their application cover letter. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their cover letter, the information will be used only for the fulfillment of the career opportunity. Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.